Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Cervical Spine

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation in the body, especially the joints. The joints of the spine, particularly the cervical spine, can be affected. The inflammation will damage the joints over time and will cause pain. As the damage progresses, the joints become weaker and can slip; the spine can lose its normal curve and alignment, the spaces between two bones can become abnormally wide, and the skull can start to sink downward. The mainstay of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is medical. Although abnormalities are often seen on X-rays of a cervical spine affected by rheumatoid arthritis, surgery is usually not the initial treatment. If symptoms become serious, however, or there is a possibility of neurologic injury, surgery may be recommended.